The mental health and traumatic experiences of mothers of children with 22q11DS.

22q11 Deletion Syndrome (22q11DS) is the most common microdeletion syndrome with broad phenotypic variability, leading to significant morbidity and some mortality. The varied health problems associated with 22q11DS and the evolving phenotype (both medical and developmental/behavioural) across the lifespan can strongly impact the mental health of patients as well as their caregivers. Like caregivers of children with other chronic diseases, caregivers of children with 22q11DS may experience an increased risk of traumatisation and mental health symptoms.

The genetic architecture of youth anxiety: a study protocol.

Background: Anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric problems among Canadian youth and typically have an onset in childhood or adolescence. They are characterized by high rates of relapse and chronicity, often resulting in substantial impairment across the lifespan. Genetic factors play an important role in the vulnerability toward anxiety disorders.

An online survey to understand the needs of caregivers of family members with 22q11 deletion syndrome.

Background: Most individuals with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) have multi-system and lifelong needs requiring substantial support. Their primary caregivers are usually family members who dedicate lifelong time and effort to their role.

Paraprofessional delivery of online narrative exposure therapy for firefighters.

Firefighters are at increased risk for developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and face numerous barriers to accessing mental health care. Innovative ways to increase access to evidence-based interventions are needed. This study was a case series testing the acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary effectiveness of a paraprofessional-delivered, virtual narrative exposure therapy (eNET) intervention for PTSD.

A randomized controlled trial evaluating the effect of an internet-based cognitive-behavioral program on anxiety symptoms in a community-based sample of adolescents.

Adolescents' use of online resources to self-manage anxiety is growing. The objective of the current trial was to assess the effectiveness of an online, primarily self-led cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) program in reducing anxiety symptoms compared to an active comparator, access to anxiety resources on a static website. A total of 563 adolescents (13-19 years) with self-identified anxiety concerns were enrolled.

Two-Year Follow-Up of Internet and Telephone Assisted Parent Training for Disruptive Behavior at Age 4.

Objective: To determine whether an internet-based and telephone-assisted parent training intervention, which used whole population screening and which comprehensively targeted symptomatic 4-year-old children, was effective 24 months after the start of treatment. No long-term follow-up studies using a randomized controlled trial (RCT) existed on this subject.

Method: Of the 4,656 children 4 years old who were screened in Southwest Finland, 730 met the criteria for high-level disruptive behavioral problems, and 464 parents agreed to be randomized to the 11-week Strongest Families Smart Website (SFSW) intervention (n = 232) or an educational control (EC) (n = 232).

Parental and child factors associated with participation in a randomised control trial of an Internet-assisted parent training programme.

Background: Parental training is an effective way to treat and prevent children's conduct problems, but knowledge of who participates in such initiatives is limited.

Method: This study examined child and family factors associated with participation in an Internet-assisted parent training programme. The parents of 4-year-old children with high levels of disruptive behaviour in a region of Finland were offered the opportunity to participate in a randomised controlled trial of the Strongest Families Smart Website intervention (SFSW).

Distance-Delivered Parent Training for Childhood Disruptive Behavior (Strongest Families™): a Randomized Controlled Trial and Economic Analysis.

Disruptive behavior disorders are prevalent in youth, yet most children with disruptive behavior do not have access to timely, effective treatment. Distance-delivered service (e.g.

Strongest Families™ Managing Our Mood (MOM): a randomized controlled trial of a distance intervention for women with postpartum depression.

The present study investigated whether a distance-delivered intervention could significantly decrease mild to moderate postpartum depression (PPD) in mothers as compared to usual care. Mothers with PPD (n = 62) were randomly assigned to the intervention or standard community care. Participants receiving the intervention followed a 12-session cognitive behavioural informed handbook supplemented with telephone-based coaching support.

Distance-delivered interventions for PTSD: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy of distance-delivered, guided approaches to treatment (e.g., delivered via telephone, Internet, mail, videoconferencing) for clinical and subclinical posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Better Nights/Better Days-Distance Intervention for Insomnia in School-Aged Children With/Without ADHD: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: Better Nights/Better Days, a distance intervention for insomnia in school-aged children (with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ADHD]), was evaluated to determine its effectiveness on children's sleep and psychosocial functioning.

Methods: A single center, parallel group design randomized controlled trial (stratified on ADHD diagnosis) was conducted. Parents were randomized to intervention (n = 31) or waitlist control (n = 30), and completed questionnaires administered over the phone at baseline, postintervention (2 months), and follow-up (6 months).

Usability Testing of Guided Internet-based Parent Training for Challenging Behavior in Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (Strongest Families FASD).

Background: In order to meet the need for accessible interventions and support for families affected by fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), we have developed an Internet-based, distance intervention for caregivers of children with FASD between the ages of four and twelve, called Strongest Families™ FASD.

Objectives: To evaluate the usability of the Strongest Families FASD program content and website in terms of learnability, efficiency and acceptability.

Methods: A remote usability testing approach was conducted in two iterative cycles of participants.

Internet-Assisted Parent Training Intervention for Disruptive Behavior in 4-Year-Old Children: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: There is a large gap worldwide in the provision of evidence-based early treatment of children with disruptive behavioral problems.

Objective: To determine whether an Internet-assisted intervention using whole-population screening that targets the most symptomatic 4-year-old children is effective at 6 and 12 months after the start of treatment.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This 2-parallel-group randomized clinical trial was performed from October 1, 2011, through November 30, 2013, at a primary health care clinic in Southwest Finland.

Guided Internet-Based Parent Training for Challenging Behavior in Children With Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (Strongest Families FASD): Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a term used to encompass the full range of neurobehavioral and cognitive dysfunction that may occur as a consequence of prenatal alcohol exposure. There is relatively little research on intervention strategies that specifically target the behavioral problems of children with FASD. Availability and access to services are barriers to timely and effective care for families.

Usability, learnability and performance evaluation of Intelligent Research and Intervention Software: A delivery platform for eHealth interventions.

Evaluation of an eHealth platform, Intelligent Research and Intervention Software was undertaken via cross-sectional survey of staff users and application performance monitoring. The platform is used to deliver psychosocial interventions across a range of clinical contexts, project scopes, and delivery modalities (e.g.

Frequent behavioural challenges in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: a needs-based assessment reported by caregivers and clinicians.

Objective: Despite substantial research characterizing the brain injury, a significant gap still exists in providing timely and effective care for children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). The objective of this study was to conduct a needs assessment that could help inform intervention programs and appropriate strategies to manage challenging behaviours targeted to families impacted by FASD.

Methods: Sixty caregivers and 26 clinicians from across Canada completed a semi-structured telephone interview.

Modeling Parenting Programs as an Interim Service for Families Waiting for Children's Mental Health Treatment.

Using a discrete choice conjoint experiment, we explored the design of parenting programs as an interim strategy for families waiting for children's mental health treatment. Latent class analysis yielded 4 segments with different design preferences. Simulations predicted the Fast-Paced Personal Contact segment, 22.

Remote population-based intervention for disruptive behavior at age four: study protocol for a randomized trial of Internet-assisted parent training (Strongest Families Finland-Canada).

Background: Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is characterized by angry and noncompliant behaviour. It is the most common disruptive behaviour disorder (DBD), with prevalence estimates of 6-9% for preschoolers and is closely linked to several long-term difficulties, including disorders of conduct, mood, anxiety, impulse-control, and substance abuse. ODD in children is related to parental depression, family dysfunction, and impairments in parental work performance.

Barriers to mental health care: perceived delivery system differences.

Treatment barriers have prompted the development of new models of care. Distance delivery systems bridge the access gap, increasing service availability. Understanding differences between systems can inform system improvements.

Exploring therapeutic alliance with an internet-based self-management program with brief telephone support for youth with arthritis: a pilot study.

Findings from a pilot study are presented exploring therapeutic alliance between adolescent juvenile idiopathic arthritis patients and a trained nonprofessional health coach during the feasibility testing of a 12-week self-management program delivered online with brief telephone support. Therapeutic alliance was measured using the Working Alliance Inventory Client Scale (WAI-C), and qualitative information about the experience was gathered using the Distance Experience Questionnaire. WAI-C scores were found to be comparable to previously published pediatric face-to-face data and pediatric distance treatment data.

Outcome progress letter types: parent and physician preferences for letters from pediatric mental health services.

Objective: To determine health care professional and parental preferences for receiving progress letters from a pediatric mental health program between a traditional text-only format and a version in which information was presented using graphs and tables with limited text.

Design: Mailed survey.

Setting: Nova Scotia.

Telephone-based mental health interventions for child disruptive behavior or anxiety disorders: randomized trials and overall analysis.

Objective: Most children with mental health disorders do not receive timely care because of access barriers. These initial trials aimed to determine whether distance interventions provided by nonprofessionals could significantly decrease the proportion of children diagnosed with disruptive behavior or anxiety disorders compared with usual care.

Method: In three practical randomized controlled trials, 243 children (80 with oppositional-defiant, 72 with attention-deficit/hyperactivity, and 91 with anxiety disorders) were stratified by DSM-IV diagnoses and randomized to receive the Strongest Families intervention (treatment) or usual care (control).

Development and initial validation of the treatment barrier index scale: a content validity study.

Distance delivery systems are being developed to increase access to mental health care. Although development is progressing rapidly, there has been little work delineating the differences between distance and face-to-face interventions from the participants' viewpoint. This article describes scale development and a content validity study of the Treatment Barrier Index (TBI).

The prevalence of painful incidents among young recreational gymnasts.

Background: Although children experience pain during their daily life, research has generally focused on medical pain. Sport-related pain has not been widely studied in children and research has not examined the occurrence of painful incidents in gymnastics. The prevalence of painful incidents among children in recreational gymnastics classes and accompanying coach responses were recorded.